UMVA has learned that an illegal alien has been charged with a brutal highway homicide that claimed four young lives in Oklahoma.
Michael Rosario-Cruz, 27, was released from a hospital and taken to the Canadian County Jail on a barrage of charges: four counts of second‑degree murder, two counts of DUI causing great bodily injury, transporting an open container, firearm possession, carrying firearms while under the influence, and driving the wrong way on a one‑way road.
Early Friday, Rosario‑Cruz was heading westbound in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 when he collided head‑on with another vehicle. The impact set the car ablaze, killing all four occupants.
The victims, aged 18 to 20, were Kiercey Hickson, 20; Quincy Jones, 19; and Haliegh Salazar and Brad Palmer, both 18. Their lives were cut short in a moment that will echo through their families and communities for years.
“Driving impaired is a reckless, life‑changing decision,” the Highway Patrol noted, underscoring the profound loss inflicted on friends, relatives, and the broader community.
ICE has placed a detainer on Rosario‑Cruz, meaning federal authorities will be notified upon his release to initiate deportation proceedings. His entry into the United States and country of origin remain unknown.
In the aftermath, a vigil held at El Reno High School brought the tragedy into sharp focus. Three of the victims had recently graduated, and the school community rallied together to honor their memory.
Retired teacher Nancy Salsman reflected on the impact, saying that the connection to the victims is indelible. “They’re always your kids. When something like this happens we come together,” she said, highlighting the shared grief that unites the community.
